Compare Solomon Islands (2002) - French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2007)

Compare Solomon Islands (2002) z French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2007)

	Solomon Islands (2002)	French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2007)

Administrative divisions	9 provinces and 1 capital territory; Central, Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western	none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five administrative districts named Iles Crozet, Iles Eparses, Iles Kerguelen, Ile Saint-Paul et Ile Amsterdam; the fifth district is the "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
Age structure	0-14 years: 43.4% (male 109,339; female 105,170) 15-64 years: 53.5% (male 134,125; female 130,804) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,467; female 7,881) (2002 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish	-
Airports	31 (2001)	4 (one each on Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the Iles Eparses district) (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)	-
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 20 (2002)	-
Area	total: 28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km	Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 55 sq km; land - 55 sq km; water - 0 sq km Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 7 sq km; land - 7 sq km; water - 0 sq km Iles Crozet: total - 352 sq km; land - 352 sq km; water - 0 sq km Iles Kerguelen: total - 7,215 sq km; land - 7,215 sq km; water - 0 sq km Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km; water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon) Europa Island (Iles Eparses): total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km Gloriosos Islands (Iles Eparses): total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0 sq km Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km note: excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland	Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, DC Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, DC Iles Kerguelen: a little larger than Delaware Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Background	The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society.	In February 2007, the Iles Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). The Southern Lands are now divided into five administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic islands, Ile Saint-Paul and Ile Amsterdam; the fourth, Iles Eparses, consists of scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is the Antarctic portion, which consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. Ile Amsterdam: Discovered but not named in 1522 by the Spanish, the island subsequently received the appellation of Nieuw Amsterdam from a Dutchman; it was claimed by France in 1843. A short-lived attempt at cattle farming began in 1871. A French meteorological station established on the island in 1949 is still in use. Ile Saint Paul: Claimed by France since 1893, the island was a fishing industry center from 1843 to 1914. In 1928, a spiny lobster cannery was established, but when the company went bankrupt in 1931, seven workers were abandoned. Only two survived till 1934 when rescue finally arrived. Iles Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau, Iles Crozet is divided into two main groups: L'Occidental (the West), which includes Ile aux Cochons, Ilots des Apotres, Ile des Pingouins, and the reefs Brisants de l'Heroine; and L'Oriental (the east), which includes Ile d'Est and Ile de la Possession (the largest island of the Crozets). Discovered and claimed by France in 1772, the islands were used for seal hunting and as a base for whaling. Originally administered as a dependency of Madagascar, they became part of the TAAF in 1955. Iles Kerguelen: This island group, discovered in 1772, is made up of one large island (Ile Kerguelen) and about 300 smaller islands. A permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists resides at the main base at Port-aux-Francais. Adelie Land: The only non-insular district of the TAAF is the Antarctic claim known as "Adelie Land." The US Government does not recognize it as a French dependency. Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. Europa Island: This heavily wooded island has been a French possession since 1897; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station. Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse. Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station. Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station.
Birth rate	33.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $38 million (2001) expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)	-
Capital	Honiara	-
Climate	tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather	Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy Iles Eparses: tropical
Coastline	5,313 km	Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 28 km Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): Iles Kerguelen: 2,800 km Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22.2 km Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 24.1 km Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 3.7 km
Constitution	7 July 1978	-
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands	conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises abbreviation: TAAF
Currency	Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)	-
Death rate	4.19 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-
Debt - external	$137 million (2001 est.)	-
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Eric PILLOTON (since 10 April 2007)
Diplomatic representation from the US	the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands	none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jeremiah MANELE chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925	none (overseas territory of France)
Disputes - international	none	French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): claimed by Madagascar Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): claimed by Mauritius
Economic aid - recipient	$28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.)	-
Economy - overview	The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country.	Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations, military bases, and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.
Electricity - consumption	29.76 million kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - production	32 million kWh (2000)	-
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont de la Dives on Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 867 m; unnamed location on Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) 272 m; Pic Marion-Dufresne in Iles Crozet 1,090 m; Mont Ross in Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m; unnamed location on Bassas de India (Iles Eparses) 2.4 m; unnamed location on Europa Island (Iles Eparses) 24 m; unnamed location on Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) 12 m; unnamed location on Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) 10 m; unnamed location on Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) 7 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying	introduction of foreign species on Iles Crozet has caused severe damage to the original ecosystem; overfishing of Patagonian Toothfish around Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol	-
Ethnic groups	Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%	-
Exchange rates	Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.3728 (December 2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997)	-
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17 December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001) cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament	chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Senior Administrator Eric PILLOTON (10 April 2007)
Exports	$165 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)	-
Exports - commodities	timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa	-
Exports - partners	Japan 22%, China 15%, Philippines 13%, South Korea 12%, UK 12%, Thailand 5% (2000)	-
Fiscal year	calendar year	-
Flag description	divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green	the flag of France is used
GDP	purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 42% industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	-10% (2001 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	8 00 S, 159 00 E	Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E Iles Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E Iles Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 11 30 S, 47 20 E Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 E
Geography - note	strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea	islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): the atoll is a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)
Highways	total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	-
Imports	$152 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)	-
Imports - commodities	plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals	-
Imports - partners	Australia 27%, Singapore 25%, NZ 5.5%, Japan 5.3%, US 5.1% (2000)	-
Independence	7 July 1978 (from UK)	-
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	-
Industries	fish (tuna), mining, timber	-
Infant mortality rate	23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	7.9% (2001 est.)	-
International organization participation	ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO	UPU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	0 sq km
Judicial branch	Court of Appeal	-
Labor force	26,842	-
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)	-
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 1.5% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 97.86% (1998 est.)	Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) - 100% trees, grasses, ferns, and moss; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul) - 100% grass, ferns, and moss; Iles Crozet - 100% tossock grass, heath, and fern; Iles Kerguelen - 100% tossock grass and Kerguelen cabbage; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses) - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand; Europa Island (Iles Eparses) - 100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands; Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses) - 100% lush vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses) - 90% forest, 10% other; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) - 100% grasses and scattered brush (2005)
Languages	Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population note: 120 indigenous languages	-
Legal system	English common law, which is widely disregarded	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch	unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held by December 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 71.82 years male: 69.38 years female: 74.39 years (2002 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%	-
Location	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea	southeast and east of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, some near Madagascar and others about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Eparses in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"
Map references	Oceania	Antarctic Region, Africa
Maritime claims	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen and Iles Eparses (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands); Juan de Nova Island and Tromelin Island claim a continental shelf of 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	none (2002 est.)	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches	no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$NA	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	NA%	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 7 July (1978)	-
Nationality	noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander	-
Natural hazards	typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity	Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs
Natural resources	fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel	fish, crayfish note: Glorioso Islands and Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses) have guano, phosphates, and coconuts
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-
Political parties and leaders	Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU] note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	-
Population	494,786 (July 2002 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): has no permanent residents but has a meteorological station Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): is uninhabited but is frequently visited by fishermen and has a scientific research cabin for short stays Iles Crozet: are uninhabited except for 18 to 30 people staffing the Alfred Faure research station on Ile del la Possession Iles Kerguelen: 50 to 100 scientists are located at the main base at Port-aux-Francais on Ile Kerguelen Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): uninhabitable Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): uninhabited, except for visits by scientists
Population below poverty line	NA%	-
Population growth rate	2.91% (2002 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)	-
Radios	57,000 (1997)	-
Railways	0 km	-
Religions	Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%	-
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)	-
Suffrage	21 years of age; universal	-
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)	-
Telephones - main lines in use	8,000 (1997)	-
Telephones - mobile cellular	658 (1997)	-
Television broadcast stations	0 (1997)	-
Terrain	mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls	Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of rugged terrain of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with a number of peninsulas stretching off its coasts Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount
Total fertility rate	4.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)	-
Transportation - note	-	aids to navigation - lighthouses: Europa Island 18m; Juan de Nova Island (W side) 37m; Tromelin Island (NW point) 11m (all in the Iles Eparses district)
Unemployment rate	NA%	-
Waterways	none	-

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